Book Review: Paper Hearts by Claire Contreras

1 Nov 2015

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Book Title: Paper Hearts
Author: Claire Contreras
Series: Hearts #2
Release Date: September 9th, 2015
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
I lost her.

No, I didn't lose her. I threw her away.

She was my best friend.

I was never supposed to fall in love with her.

I was careless.

She was heartbroken.

I was doing fine until she came back into my life and reminded me what love was supposed to feel like.

When it's all said and done, she may not want to stay, but this time I'm going to do everything in my power to not let her go.

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{READ MORE FOR ALLISON'S REVIEW!}





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"Real love stories never end."

Ever since practically every book buddy read Paper Hearts, I knew this was a book I had to pick up. After all, who doesn't love "the one that got away" second-chance romances? Though at times I wanted to strangle Mia for her tenacity to stay away, I understood her.

Jensen Reynolds and Mia Bennett have been the best of friends, soul mates for nearly a decade. Jensen was the punk (per Mia's father) with a sad childhood but Mia saw through his scars to the gifted soul deep within. When Jensen ventures off to college in New York City, they decided to take a break. They just never anticipated life to hand them a mess of challenges, making their chance for that happily ever.

Five long years later, Mia takes a temporary job stint in New York. She's a photographer and Jensen is the writer for the same magazine. They're doing a special on second chance romances. Mia was a tough nut to crack but Jensen chipped away at his long friend...lover. Ms he's bitter. Angry. But could they put their sorted past aside for a chance of a future they thought would never come to fruition? Not if Mia has anything to say or do about it... But Jensen tries nonetheless.

“I’m giving you time. Not because I need it or even because I think you do, but because the last time, I walked away and you let me go because you didn’t have much of a choice. This time you have all the choices. You have all the moves. The ball is in your possession. Let me know when you feel like soccer again.”

Gah, I loved that man. Jensen was seriously the most sincere, sweet man I've read about in a long time. He knows he made serious mistakes in his past. Mistakes he can't change, yet he doesn't give up on the emotional brick wall love of his life, his best friend, Mia Bennett.

Paper Hearts is written predominantly in Mia's POV yet we get perfect little snippets of Jensen's heart through his weekly postings in the Times, called Jensen's Talk. Little thoughts about his current life, his muse, his struggles to get back the love that got away.

Paper Hearts is an emotional tug-at-the-heartstrings romance yet not too painfully angsty. Just that pull deep within yourself praying Mia and Jensen can get past the hurt and forge thru the baggage for a second chance at love and happiness. It didn't happen overnight but the pull between the two of them, the love that clearly simmered even with years apart, burned strong the more time they spent together. First for work-related projects, then simple brunches...to kickass concert dates bringing that love back front and center. A love neither could deny.

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I hadn't read Kaleidoscope Hearts and I wish I had. The cast of secondary characters were both entertaining and seriously piqued my interest for a bit more depth into their particular love stories- specifically Elle and Oliver. I'd also love to put in a request for an MM romance between Mia's twin brother Rob and his current love interest Juan Pablo. Contreras has mastered emotional for me- combine MM and I'd be on that like white on rice!

An all-around enjoyable read that had me feverishly turning the pages rooting for the very different, yet perfect-for-each-other, couple that totally deserved their happily-after-after.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR



Claire Contreras

Claire is a New York Times & USA Today Best Selling author, mother of two, wife of one, owner of three dogs, and breast cancer survivor.

She enjoys writing anything from children’s stories to erotic suspense, but her most notable work is a contemporary romance. When she’s not writing, she’s reading and dreaming about places she wants to visit. 

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